Boss Pardew is refusing to rush Ben Arfa back into his side, despite a lack of forward power in the absence of injured on-loan striker Loic Remy.

Newcastle's players have demanded more of Ben Arfa following recent performances, including more tracking back and defending to go with his unquestioned attacking talent.

Asked if he expected Ben Afra to be at St James' Park next season, Pardew replied: "I haven't got a view on that.

"Hatem is in a pool of players that you can ask: Is he going to be a success here? If it is, then they stay. If it's not, then we'll move them on.

"He needs to get that balance right between delivering for us in an offensive way and for us to be able to keep the discipline of the team intact with him in the side. If he's getting assists and goals, then that balances itself out. If he isn't then it isn't balancing up."

Pardew added: "He has to gain the trust - of not just me, but of our players and our fans - that he's the real deal, if he's going to play. He needs a good finish to the season and he's aware of that for a number of reasons. He's contracted to be here next year."

However, Pardew insists he has not lost patience with the midfielder.

"In the short term we've given him a fitness programme because in the last few games he played for us he didn't play very well by his own admission. His confidence is a little low, and his fitness was a bit low for whatever reason," he explained.

"He missed six days with a family illness so we've got some extra work into him and he looks a little bit more confident. He's not ready to play and start this game but he will be on the bench on Saturday.

"At the minute, in front of him is Sissoko and Gouffran, which puts him into the forward category, where Luuk De Jongm in my opinionm has done well without scoring and we have a natural goal-scorer in Papiss (Cisse) who we all know needs a goal.

"On the performance at Fulham [where Newcastle lost 1-0 to the league's bottom club], the two strikers are under a little bit of pressure."

On-loan De Jong will continue up front with Cisse, and Pardew said: "I like Luuk's application and he's given us a bit of presence up top. He needs to convert that into goals and I think that pressure is building as it does on Papiss week by week when they don't score.